General
Jubilee of Prisoners USCCB Resource Packet (English)
Pilgrims on the Way of Hope: A Resource for the Jubilee of Prisoners
Jubilee 2025: Pilgrims of Hope
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Jubilee of Prisoners: Resource Packet
December 14, 2025
INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW
“In every part of the world, believers, and their Pastors in particular, should be one in demanding dignified conditions for those in prison, respect for their human rights and above all the abolition of the death penalty, a provision at odds with Christian faith and one that eliminates all hope of forgiveness and rehabilitation. In order to offer prisoners a concrete sign of closeness, I would myself like to open a Holy Door in a prison, as a sign inviting prisoners to look to the future with hope and a renewed sense of confidence.” (Pope Francis, "Hope Does Not Disappoint," Bull of Indiction of the Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025)
A Jubilee Year is an important and historical event in the life of the Church designed for the faithful to experience and convey God’s loving mercy in a special way. Traditionally, a Jubilee is proclaimed every twenty-five years, and the activities include pilgrimages, processions, special celebrations of Mass, and an invitation to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jubilee 2025 began on Christmas Eve, 2024, and concludes on the Feast of the Epiphany in January, 2026. The theme is “Pilgrims of Hope.” Jubilee activities are meant to encourage Catholics to both receive God’s mercy and participate in acts of mercy in our daily lives and communities. Our late Holy Father Pope Francis specifically asked us to consider working for peace and an end to conflicts, promoting human life, inviting prisoners to look to the future with hope, upholding the dignity of migrants, healing the sick, and accompanying the elderly. The Holy See has designated a number of Jubilee Days throughout 2025 to recognize and celebrate different groups of people and various ministries in the Church. The Jubilee of Prisoners will be held Dec. 14, 2025.
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